"And perhaps you were put into
position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14
From the time 5th grader Timmy Gibson learned to play the
trumpet, he had one wish. That wish was,
once he was in junior high, he wanted to be part of the Junior High All-Jazz
Band. He practiced, daily, and became
quite comfortable with the music that he created. Once in junior high, he tried out, and he got
third chair of the trumpet section. What
a dream come true!
First day of rehearsal, Timmy walked into the band hall, trumpet case
tucked under his arm, swelling with pride that he was going to be playing with
the All-Jazz Band. He sat down, got out
his music and trumpet, and waited. In
walked the band director, “Morning gang!
Not a lot of chat, we’re here to play jazz! Open your books to selection 3. It’s called Chattanooga Pistol, and we’re going to take it like this: 5…6…5, 6,
7, 8!” Baa-doppa, baa-doppa, baa-doppa baa
daa… The entire band just jumped
right into it. Timmy was right along
with them. He saw his notes. They were easy. He just cruised right along with the rest of
the trumpet section.
Suddenly, there was a break in the music baa-dop BOM! The director
pointed at the first trumpet chair. The
kid stood up…baa-dop baaaaaaaa dop,
baaaaaaaaaa dop, baa-dop bop bop bom, baa-dop, ba-bop baa bom! The
kid sat back down and the band continued (baa-dop
baa-baa bom, baa-dop baa-baa bom).
Timmy only saw two blank lines on his page, marked SOLO AD-LIB. He asked the kid next to him, “Where’d he get
the music?” “He made it up, that’s
called ‘ad-libbing’.” The band continued
on (baa-dop baa-baa bom, baa-dop baa-baa
bom).
The director points to the second chair. The kid stood right up. Baa-daa
da-de-ladda, da-de-ladda, baa-dop bop baa-daaaaa, baa-dop baa baa-dop, bop
baa-dop baa-da baaaaaaaaaaa! The kid
sits right back down and the band continues on (baa-dop baa-baa bom, baa-dop baa-baa bom). Sweat is now COURSING down Timmy’s face. He can count.
He knows that he’s sitting in that THIRD chair. But, the train keeps on coming! (baa-dop baa-baa bom, baa-dop baa-baa bom).
The music breaks and the director points directly at Timmy. He stood up…. (feebly and off key) briiiiiin, baaaaaaa-da, baa…. - (baa-dop baa-baa bom, baa-dop baa-baa bom). The director saves him by keeping the band
going. Totally embarrassed, Timmy sat
down, put his trumpet inside his case, and left his only rehearsal with the
Junior High All-Jazz Band. His dreams
were shattered. No one told him that
there would be a moment that he would be expected to perform alone.
Esther was put in that same situation, in which she had the one
opportunity to save her family and the rest of her people, from Hamaan, the
king’s evil advisor. It was a situation
that could possible mean her own death.
Then, her uncle tells her, “Could this moment be the reason that you
were put here?” This was her moment.
That moment will come for each one of us. God, and His angel band will be swinging
along and then, He’ll break and point right at you. What will you do with that moment? Will you shamefully sit to hide within the
crowd? Or, will you stand for Him?
Good words to ponder!
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